Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1887-11-12
THE ANARCATSTS, CASE.
full Text Of the GoVernOr'S DO.
cl1lOn.

full Text Of the GovernOr's De.
Following il the Governors decision
in, full in the Anarchists. case: -, -,.
STATE OF Ills, ExEcU I'VE OFFIcE,
SPEIHGFIELD, Nov. 10, 1857.
On the Goth day of August, 1886, in
the Cook County Criminal Court, Aug
ust Spies, Albert Il. Parsons. Samuel
fielden, Michael Schwnb, Adolph Fisch-
er, George Engel and Louis Lingg were
found guilty Ivy the. verdict Of a jury,
aud afterwards sentenced1to be hanged
Tor the murder of Matthias J. Degnu.
Au.uppeul was taken from such finding
and sentence to the Supreme Court of
the Suite. That Court upon final hear
ing aud alter mature elaboration unnn-
imously affirmed the judgment of the
Court below. The case now comes be-
fore me By petition Of the defendants
for consideration as Governor Of the
the Stale. If the letters of Albert
Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George Engel
and LoDis 1ingg. demanding uncon-
ditional release, or rs they express it,
Liberty or Death, I" and protesting in
the strongest language against mercy or
communication o. the sentence pronounced
against them, can be considered petit
t ons for pardon, the granting of the
same. If Implying any guilt whatever on
the part of either Of them, would not be
such IL yindication as they demand.
Executive Intervention upon the
grounds insisted upon by the four above
named persons could i'll no proper sense
lie deemed an exercise of the constitu-
tional power to grant reprieves, CON-
mutations and pardons unless used
upon the belief on my part of their en-
tire innocence of the crime of which
the stand convicted. A careful COB
Sideration of the evidence in the record
vt the trial of the parties IA we'll AZ of all
alleged and claimed for them outside of
the record. has failed to produce OH my
mind any impression tending to i'm
~ il 30. > a.
peach the verdict of the jury or the
judgment of the trial Court or of the
Supreme Court affirming the guilt of all
these parties. Satisfied therefore as
Mn of their guilt, am precluded from
considering the question Of commuta-
ton of the q, ntences of Albert r. Par.
aons, Adolph Fischer, G, orge Engel
and Louis Lingg to imprisonment in
the penltentiary, as they declare TINT
they win not accept such computation.
Samuel Fielden. Michael Schwab and
August Spies unite in a petition for
Executive clemency." 81 Fielden and
Schwah, in addition, present separate
and supplementary petitions for com
mutation of their sentences. While, ~
Hsid above, am satisfied of the guilt of
all the parties.as found by the verdict
of the jury, which was sustained sy the
Judgment of the Courts, most careful
consideration of the whole subject leads
mo to the conclusion that the sentence
Michael Schwab may be modified as to
each Of them as to the interest Of hu-
.manity, and without doing Violence to
public Justice. As to .said Samuel
Fielden and Michael Schwab, the SEN
tence is commuted to imprisonment in
the penitentiary for life; asyto the other
above named defendants, Tdo feel JUS.
tilted in interfering with the sentence Of
tue Courts. I
While would gladly come to o diff
ferent conclusion in regard 10 the
sentences Of August Spies, AdoIph
Fischer, George Eugle, Albert r. Par
IONS and Louis LinRg, l regret to say
that under solemn sense " the obi.
gntions of'my ofece.dI have been unable
to do 30. (Signsd.)
RIGBARD J. OaLEsRy,